Friends In Unlikely Places
by smurf12300
Summary: Alternate Universe Fic. Draco is the son of Vernon's favorite client and Dudley has no problem getting on with him. What will happen as Harry and Draco begin to get to know each other? Soon to be slash HD
1. Chapter 1: The Malfoys

Friends In Unlikely Places-

Author- Me

Rating- PG-13

WIP

Warnings- Soon to be slash D/M if that squiks you, look elsewhere.

1/?

Harry winced as he heard the front door shut with a thud. Vernon was home and imaginably had a rotten day and was no doubt ready to take it out on him. Harry scooted himself out of his makeshift bed, and with a creak inched the door to the cupboard open a crack, peering into the next room. 

"I wonder if it's safe to come out," he whispered to himself pensively. There was no noise at all. It was so quiet he would've been able to hear a pin drop. He wondered what in the world was going on.

CRASH

Harry was jolted backwards as his cupboard doors were slammed. 

"Com'ere cousin," Dudley spat. The doors slammed again, this time flying wide open. Harry faced his bright right, round-faced relative, smiling broadly.

"Wake up freak!" Dudley bellowed, grabbing him by the shoulder of his over-sized pajamas. "Dad's got somethin' to tell us!" He ranted. Harry immediately got tossed unto his bottom, yelping as he nearly slid into the hall wall. He curled into a fetal position. Dudley scrambled into the living room yet Harry could still hear his shrill cries of "Daddy, Harry won't get up. Make him get up Daddy!" 

 "HARRY!" Came the tremendous roar of Harry's dreaded Uncle Vernon. It only meant no good. Of course, something dreadful must've happened if Vernon had gathered the whole family, plus Harry, to "talk." 

            He tentatively crept into the living room where spread about were Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and with a scowl on his face, Dudley. Vernon cleared his throat with a warning and Aunt Petunia shot him a look of disapproval.

"I trust you," Vernon began, speaking of Harry as if he were speaking of a germ-filled disease. "…To present yourself when called." His brow furrowed. "Is that so difficult to understand?" The skin under his chin bobbled with every word he spoke. Harry made a face of distaste.

            "Of course Uncle Vernon," He said tugging at his enormous shirt, trying to keep it from sliding off his shoulders. "I apologize." He cautiously sat, back rigid, hands folded, on one of their flower-patterned couches.

            "Now," He said with a jollier look on his face once he had stopped talking to Harry. "I know the business hasn't been doing so well lately," Harry caught a scoff in his throat (he would get punished if he dare release it). Vernon's business was on the verge of closing down lately. 'Probably because Vernon spends all his life savings on buying Dudley Christmas presents, birthday presents, Easter presents, Saint Patrick Day presents...he could go on.' Harry thought.

"…Yet I met the most charming client today!" Vernon let his voice raise high and happy, as if he were drunk. Aunt Petunia beamed at Vernon, very proud of her accomplished husband. Dudley squirmed in excitement, obviously awaiting the good news. Vernon had them all on their toes. 

"A very rich fellow he is." He glowed with pride. "By the name of Malfoy. Lucious, Malfoy." Petunia sighed, tilting her head to the side. The energy in the room seemed to escalate. "He's going to buy the company!" Vernon practically screamed with delight. Petunia gasped, nearly dropping the teacup held in her lap. Dudley squealed. "Why Dear, that is absolutely amazing!" Aunt Petunia shrieked. Harry looked bored, and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and sighed. 

"Wait, wait don't get too excited I'm not finished yet!" Vernon bellowed, laughing in mirth. He leaned forward in his armchair, bringing everyone in tightly to lean in with him, as if he were telling a suspenseful adventure story with knights and dragons. "He lives, across the bloody street!" Vernon was so red Harry thought he might burst. Petunia clenched her right fist to her chest and Dudley let out a whoop of joy. 

"Can I go back to bed yet?" Harry asked dully, giving Vernon a look of total mundane. 

The noise in the room stopped, the excited looks on their face turned to looks of revulsion and malice. It was obvious everyone was waiting for something to happen, waiting for Vernon to explode.

"NO." Vernon said sternly. "You most definitely," His chest heaved with a deep breath of anger. "MAY NOT!"

"Eep!" Harry cried in surprise, his glasses tumbling off his face to the floor. "Boy, you are staying RIGHT. HERE." Vernon had stood out of his chair to point fiercely towards the ground. "You are the most ignorant child I have ever met! I can't wait until you graduate high school," He clenched his fat fingers so his knuckles turned a sickening white. "…And I can get you out of my hair once and for all!" Vernon's words seemed to echo in the silence that came after them. "Never forget that Boy!" He growled to Harry. 

            Petunia and Dudley seemed fixed in their chairs, quiet and motionless. "Well Vernon," Petunia said softly. "Where were you going with all of this?" Trying to get Vernon calmed down she patted his back. He sat down, glaring deeply at Harry.

"He has a son." Vernon grumbled. "A son just about Dudley's age. I figured the two of them could become friends."

Aunt Petunia smiled. "That's just lovely Dear. I'm sure Dudley and…what did you say his name was?" She took a sip of her tea.

"Malfoy. His son's name is Draco." Vernon slumped down into his seat, his energy spent.

"Draco is it?" Petunia said politely. "I'm sure he and Dudley will get along just fine, won't you Dudderkins?" She smiled warmly at her butterball of a son.

"Of course Mummy!" Dudley exclaimed.

"Draco Malfoy…" Harry muttered to himself. "Sounds like an interesting fellow." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

The doorbell rang sharply at 7o'clock, right when the Malfoys were suppose to arrive. Dudley's hair had been drowned with hair gel, his good suit pressed neatly. He opened the door slowly, one arm gesturing a welcome, putting on an air of hospitality. Harry peeked through his cupboard door to perhaps get a glance at the Malfoy family. 

They were not all he expected, a tall menacing man stood in the middle of the family. He had long white-blonde hair and a very stern face with a look of utmost confidence and superiority. Harry knew he must be a very respected, important person. He wondered how he ended up meeting Vernon. 

To his right was assumably his wife. She wasn't as tall as Lucious, but in turn was very pale and sunken in. She had the same waxen hair, and the same look of poise placed on her beautiful face. 

Draco wasn't the smiling face he expected either. He had wonderfully snowy hair, cut to his cheekbone, and was constantly pushing it out of his lurid blue-gray eyes. He seemed to be nervous, shifting from foot to foot. He had a pair of black slacks on, perfectly polished dress shoes, and a collared red shirt complete with a black tie. Harry thought it fitted him. Draco scowled as he saw the house, obviously to his distaste. Harry felt uncomfortable

Harry was perfectly confident Draco wouldn't like Dudley, he couldn't! Nobody on earth besides Dudley's loony parents could care for such a creature.  Harry glowered and crossed his arms across his chest. If he, Harry, were allowed to join their dinner he was certain Draco would like him. He was highly more likable than that dreadful brat Dudley.

'Just keep telling yourself that Potter.' He thought to himself. 

As he heard the clink and clank of silverware against plates he sat back against the wall of his cupboard and tried to forget the dinner outside he was thoroughly missing. 

Much to his avail he closed his eyes and immediately fell fast asleep. In his dream he was outside with the rest of them, chattering away, eating the delicious juicy chicken and moist buttered potatoes he knew they would be eating. He saw himself talking to Draco Malfoy, becoming friends with him.

…How he longed for a friend, any friend at all.

Harry opened his shining green eyes slowly, sighing. He lolled his head back against the wall. 'I bet it's morning already.' He thought to himself. 'I bet Draco hated Dudley so much he smacked him. I bet Vernon and Petunia kicked the Malfoys out because Draco hit Dudley.' Harry smiled at the thought. 

His smile soon faded as he realized it was still nighttime, the Malfoys were still at the house and there was no way that Draco had hit Dudley. The noises in the house were too telltale for Harry to ignore them.

For a moment, Harry contemplated sneaking out of his prison. All he wanted was a bite of food. They were in the dining room anyway, there was no way anybody would see him.  He slid his doors open quietly, trying to prevent the high-pitched squeak it regularly let out.

Gray sweat pants and tight undershirt on, he slid across the slick wood floor in his woolen socks. He looked a mess, his hair rumpled, his glasses crooked, yet he didn't stop. Harry's stomach growled, reminding him of his goal. As he passed the dining room door, he realized it was open. Craning his neck to see inside, he veered too hard to the right crashing smack dab into a pink lamp, knocking it over with a walloping crash.

The voices in the dining room stopped immediately. Harry could already picture Vernon's face growing pale, then bright scarlet. His breath quickened as he heard the scrape of chairs being pushed back. More than one chair he heard. Harry gulped and soon enough all six faces were looking down at him, sprawled in the middle of the floor, looking utterly ridiculous. 

Draco broke the silence first. "Who the bloody hell is this?" He gestured crudely to Harry's disheveled form. His eyes formed a narrow look of displeasure. 

Silence greeted him. "I do believe, Vernon," Lucious's voice was cold and firm as steel. "…My son just asked you a question." 

"Ye-yes." Vernon stuttered. "Well. He is…my nephew in fact," Vernon said, fairly calm. "He's just visiting over the summer and I didn't think it was appropriate for him to come to dinner tonight." Vernon pulled a smile at the Malfoys. 

Harry's chest heaved up and down, his shirt tightly pulling at his developed sixteen-year-old muscles. Draco stared. 

"What, pray tell, is this charming young lad's name?" Lucious asked with a heavy level of sarcasm. 

"My name is Harry Potter sir." Harry answered more confidently than he felt. He slowly got up, brushing his hair off his forehead. Harry knew it was sticking up, as Petunia hadn't let him wash it for nearly three days now, it was so greasy. 

"Charmed, I'm sure." Lucious said, giving Harry a look down, his nose raised high in obvious disgust.

"Well I assume dinner is over." Lucious spoke again. "Seeing how it was very rudely interrupted by this…boy." He calmly dusted off his black over-coat. "Draco is staying the night as is planned?" He said. Vernon nodded meekly. "I do hope your child, Dudley was his name?" Vernon merely nodded again. "Yes, I hope Dudley is more mannered than your nephew. I hate to think Draco would be in an improper environment." Lucious's voice grew nasal. 

"No." Petunia said, speaking at last. "Harry is of course, not raised by us." She said with a hiss.

Harry stood, left to boil in his own anger at the snide Lucious, and watch as he and his wife walked out of the front door. 

He received a harsh look from each Vernon and Petunia as they passed, knowing full well that he would be getting more punishment once the young Malfoy had left. 

"Well Dudley," Draco drawled. "…What do you do for fun around here?" Dudley chuckled and pointed at Harry. Draco's pasty cheeks enflamed red, and he burst out laughing. "We mess him up, that's what we do." Dudley said, nearly snorting with glee. 

Draco stepped towards Harry who was openly scowling by this time, his fist clenched into tight balls. He held out his hand. 

"Harry, is it?" He said icily. 

"Yes, Harry." Harry could already feel the tight lump of anticipation forming in his throat.

"I presume you already know my name but where would I be without an introduction?" Draco asked suavely, shrugging his shoulders and loosening his tie. Dudley thought Draco was immensley funny, and started laughing at some kind of hidden joke, surely a joke on Harry.

            "Do you have a place I could put this Dursely? Draco asked as he held up his newly removed tie.

"Course we do, Draco." Dudley said, a wide pigish grin still planted on his face as if he was enjoying an especially sweet lolipop. "We can put it in my room. Come along." Dudley motioned with a fat-encased arm to the staircase, trudging his equally fat legs to the base of it.

Draco sent another feral grin at Harry and Harry cowered. 

"Like I was saying, Potter. I'm Draco Malfoy, and I'm very sure you'll be pleased to make my aquaintence." Draco's sharp cainines showed as his mouth curled, smiling at Harry in a way that made Harry want to hop up and start running…In the opposite direction, of course. 

"Right." Harry gulped. As they approached one of Dudley's many rooms Harry braced himself for what he knew was coming, what happened with all of Dudleys friends. Harry knew that tonight he would get no rest, for Draco and Dudley would most likely take turns pounding him into a shivering helpless pulp until morning, or until they grew tired. Harry sighed. There go his hopes of finding friendship any time soon.

Dudley kicked open his door and promptly went to work looking for the television remote. The room was enormous, containing all sorts of up-to-date technology and a very inviting looking four-poster bed. There was a tacky lime-green sofa splayed in front of the TV, wearing many soda stains and food crumb from its previous use. The carpet was soft and dark brown, yet when it hit the couch looking at it made Harry's stomach go queasy.

"I'm impressed." Draco said, hands on his hips, surveying the scenery.

Harry's belly still felt a bit upest. Dudley motioned at Harry with his thumb "Ol' stupid head over here has never been allowed in here before, but tonight I think I can make an exception." Draco and Dudley shared a smile.

            "I'm not some kind of punching bag you know!" Harry said defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

            "Now cousin," Dudley said, finally retreiving his precious remote. "Don't get so defensive." He and Draco plopped down next to each other on the couch. "All we're going to do is watch a bit of the telly." He hit the ON button, sending a spark on the TV to light up; opening up to a man and a woman eating dinner, arguing about dinner table manners.

Draco stretched out his arms leisurely with a yawn; leaning against the back of the well-worn sofa with a spoony grin on his face and listened to the conversation held on the TV.

"So Potter," Draco began. "How is it you ended up here? Your Aunt and Uncle seem to be quite unfond of you. They were so quick to let my father know that they weren't the horrible creatures who graced their manners to you."

"Oh." Harry said with an indifferent look on his face. "I've always lived here since I can remember." Harry started to stare at the couch, tearing at the loose strings with nervousness. "My mum was Petunia's sister. Apparently they didn't get along too well. When my parents died I was sent here because I have no other living relatives."

Dudley snorted and Draco laughed. "Quite a sob story you have there. Can't you see the teardrops forming in my eyes?" Dudley and Draco swiftly burst into fits of laughter, loving every minute of Harry's embarassment.

"Whatever." Harry said while squirming uncomfortably and trying to pretend their peals of laughter didn't bother him. 

Draco sighed at the end of his fit, regaining his breath. "I havn't had this much fun in years." He admitted.

"You must not get out much." Harry hissed vehemently, already seeking revenge for his damaged ego. Draco's head snapped to look at Harry, his stare piercing through Harry. 

"Shut up Emo-boy, before I run myself right through you." Draco spat out. Dudley watched on with wide eyes.  
            "I'll believe it when I see it." Harry said back, as cooly and collectively as he could.

"You little!" Draco shouted and launched himself at Harry, grabbing at his shirt-collar. Draco landed on top of Harry, face clenched in look of pure hate, clawing at Harry's face and stomach, trying to land a punch. Harry was pushing at Draco's stomach, trying to get him off, but was still getting a few swipes in the face. His glasses tumbled off his face to the floor, and when his eyes followed their path, he could see Dudley's sock-covered feet bumbled over to Draco and him, trying to get in on the fight.

Draco groaned in frustrating, now punching at Harry's legs and thighs. His breath was now coming in rapid spurts, his chest heaving. He could feel his body hit Harry's with every inhilation. 

When a huge surge of strength Harry push Draco completely off of him, decking him in the face, loving the sound of Draco's cry of pain. He grinned, not knowing that he looked much like Draco did the moment they were walking up the stairs.

Dudely then joined the fight, throwing Harry off of Draco, smirking as Harry hit the floor with a crack. Harry held his back in pain, wincing at he felt a cold blow in his stomach, causing him to double over with pain. Then…it all ceased. Draco did not sirr and Dudley did not take a step. Harry didn't move. The noise in the room was terrible, the heaving breathes of all three boys creating a ruckus. The TV buzzed on, someone having hit the remote, the channel changed to a fuzzy screen.

"Fucking hell," Harry heared Draco mutter the curse, breaking his own hiatus. "My fucking cheek Potter." He growled.

"Don't worry Draco," Dudley said extremely possesively. "I took care of him."

Harry coughed, desperate to get some air back into his lungs, and curled himself into a fetal position.

            "I've never seen that kind of nerve…Just wait 'til my father hears about this." Draco mumbled. Harry glared.

            "Be sure to give him my regards." Harry said with spite in his voice, still managing to fight off Draco's power over him.

            "God you little…argh!" For the first time in a long while Draco was at loss for words, only growled. Harry frustrated him beyond means. He was the first boy his age that had the nerve to act supierior to him.

            Harry slowly sat up, shaking his head to orient himself. "I can't believe I just…Woah." He felt strangely dizzy, his blood was rushing to his head and his stomach still tingled with the force of the blow.

            He saw the vauge shape of Dudley blur before his eyes. He heard a voice but couldn't tell what they were saying. Everything started shaking and suddenly went black.


	2. Chapter 2: Hermione Granger

Chapter 2 of Friends In Unexpected Places

WIP

Enjoy guys ;)

2/?

Draco sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, knowing that static had probably already done enough damage to his hair to fix it. His lower lip hung in a pout. Draco loved his hair; it was most definitely his pride and joy, aside from everything else about him, of course. He smirked as his own self-confidence.

Draco's fixation on himself was broken by the low moan that rolled in Harry's throat. "Yum," Draco murmured out loud, staring openly at the boy shifting in his sleep. He shook his head angrily. "I mean scum. Yeah, scum! Cause that's all he is." Draco glared at Harry who was apparently still out cold and sprawled across the floor. He gently touched his sore cheek, a heavy reminder of his mistakes the night before. His intentions, last night, had been to scare the pants off of Harry, but he had never planned on going through with it. Harry just…got under his skin, bothered him, and the last comment he made was just too much. 

"I'm too rash." Draco said, shaking his head at himself. "Pathetic!"

It was now morning, as both Dudley and Draco found it incredibly convenient that Potter had passed out on them, giving them an escape route from dealing with their situation. After all, it was best to shrug off just one night.

Draco sighed again, wishing the bloke would just wake up already, seeing as it was nearly 10 o'clock in the morning already and most likely Draco's father would be arriving soon.

Harry groaned again, yet this time his eyes began to flutter open. 'Perfect,' Draco thought with sarcasm. He immediately lay down next to Harry, on his stomach, watching intently at Harry's awakening. He made another indistinguishable sound, and suddenly Draco could see Harry's eyes. He never noticed how incredibly green they were before, the dark night and only a faint light from the TV prevented that. They were positively enchanting. He resisted the urge to pull on one of Harry's curliest hairs, which was currently spread out over Harry's forehead. 

"Malfoy?" Harry whispered, not fully awake yet. Draco applauded Potter's ability to recognize him in his state of dishevelment. 

"Yeah, it's me." Draco's fingers casually curled themselves unto Harry's left arm.   
                "What are you doing…on the floor?" Harry asked, bringing himself to a sitting position, letting Draco's hand fall off. Draco scowled, but loosened it up quickly.

"Nothing." He said, stretching lazily, grinning like the Cheshire Cat, the first smile that didn't seem intimidating on him. Yet at the same time it seemed unnatural. 

                "I don't think it's nothing." Harry said, a small, mysterious smile forming on his own face. 

                "I happen to have just woken up, thank you very much." Draco teased Harry, poking him in the abdomen with his index finger. Harry giggled, and shrieked as Draco poked him again, in his sides.

                "So ticklish, Potter." Draco said, highly amused. Harry found himself grinning with earnest, the first one since he could remember. It slowly faded as he remembered just whom he was with, and just what had happened the night before. 

"Where's Dudley?" He asked, not smiling any longer.

"Getting you some ice." Draco said, confused at Harry's mood change. He slowly rolled from his stomach to his back, positioning himself closer to Harry, their arms making full-on contact. Draco bent his head to the right, looking at Harry.

"What's the matter Potter, a late night rough and tumble have you all moody in the morning?" He asked, jokingly.

"Shut up!" Harry yelled, countering Draco's remark. Harry looked deep into Draco's eyes, seemingly to look past them, into them. Apparently, he had touched a nerve.

"What do you know about me anyway? You just met me didn't you? The first few hours we spend together you spend trying to pummel me. Just shut your mouth okay?" Harry rolled over on his side, facing away from Draco. The fist of Draco's arm curled tightly, his knuckles clenched and ready to fight. 

                "You don't exactly know everything about me either, Potter." Draco growled and stood up so vigorously, Harry nearly rolled away from the force of it. Harry scoffed and watched out of the corner of his eyes, Draco walk out the door.

                "You don't know anything…" Harry grumbled to himself, his eyes scrunching in invisible pain, hating the feeling of being so alone.

The moment Draco walked into the kitchen he found Dudley stuffing bacon into his mouth with shiny, round, greasy fingers.

"I thought you were getting ice." He said dully, and somehow, he wasn't surprised that Dudley was eating instead of helping his cousin.

Dudley tried to respond to this comment but couldn't for the shear amount of food in his mouth was preventing that.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Draco started to say, grabbing a plate from the kitchen counter. "Potter's fine." He started to put some of the still sizzling food on his plate methodically.

Dudley nodded his head, for he couldn't do much else.

 Draco put the fatty, slippery mess into his mouth, his eyes heavy and tired for staying awake most of the night. His insides already felt queasy from last night and this morning, but the bacon didn't help one bit.

"I wanna go home." He whined, feeling more and more helpless by the second.

Draco had long since left by the time Harry had gone downstairs.

"Good riddance." He said, feeling very relived. He didn't know what he would've done or said if he had seen Draco. 

                "Morning." Harry said gruffly as he took a seat by Dudley, who was still working at half a plate of scrambled eggs, smothered with bright red ketchup. Right as he took a good hard look at Dudley's food, his appetite lessened, and he figured he could wait it out 'til lunchtime.

                "You missed it." Dudley managed to say between bites.

                Harry looked unfazed. "What did I miss Dudley?" Replying, nearly automatically.

"Lucious." Dudley said simply, cherry-red cheeks aflame. Harry's head snapped to attention. 

"What about him?" Harry asked quickly, amazed at his own interest in the Malfoys.

"Came over 'ere." Dudley made a noise that suspiciously resembled a pig, snorting.

"Com'on Dudley, tell me what happened!" Harry nearly shouted. 

"Draco…" Dudley started. "Told his dad about how grand a time he had here, and how he loves our family, including you." Dudley pointed at Harry and laughed. "Lucious was thrilled. He wants to talk to Daddy about the business tomorrow." 

"That's good…I guess." Harry sighed. He knew that he was secretly hoping that Lucious and Vernon had gotten in a fight and Lucious had slugged him one. Then again Lucious seemed too elegant and classy to merely 'slug someone one.'

"It's wonderful. That means that, that afternoon I'm going over to Draco's house, so the adults can talk, you know that business." Harry nodded, waiting, anticipating, for Dudley to tell him he was going as well.

"It's grand! Their house is bloody amazing, it's huge huh? Haven't you seen it from across the street?" Harry sat in silence.

"Am I allowed to go?" He asked, hesitating. 

Dudley shrugged. "If Draco wants you to go."

Harry's hopes shattered like glass on tile. Draco would never want him to go, after blowing up at him this morning, and initiating the fight the night before.

                "Then again, freak, I think he likes you." Dudley shoved the last forkful of egg into his mouth. Harry looked up from twiddling his thumbs, eyes wide in surprise.

                "Y-you do?" He asked. Harry was all but ashamed of himself, the way he was acting. "Why do you say that, D-Dudley?" His tongue had troubles forming the word around his mouth, since all he had ever called his cousin before were things like fathead and pig. 

"He stayed up practically all night worrying about you. Kept going on about how you were dead." Dudley shrugged again. "I wouldn't mind if you were dead though, eh stupid? Nah, I just let him go on and on until I agreed to let him give you a blanket and such." Dudley paused and thought. "Seems like a good guy. I'm sure he'll let you come, as long as you stay out of us men's way, right?" 

Harry nodded and stood up from the table, no longer having any interest in food. He was stunned from what he just heard. Draco was upset all night, just because he got hurt in their fight…

At first he was a bit touched, and felt a little remorse for being so rude to Draco this morning. But then, as the day went on he felt angrier and angrier. Draco had a very distinct, confident, and overpowering personality. What was it about Harry that turned him into a sniveling, worrying, helpless, human being? How could he just give up his appearances to pretend to care about one stupid little boy? That must mean Draco was fake. Whatever Draco was, was fake. Either he was mean, self-assured, and selfish, or he was caring, sweet, and clung to his arm. There was no way he could be both.

                Harry sat in front of the living room television, listlessly wasting away the last month of summer. He yawned. It was only two in the afternoon and he was already bored. He heard sounds coming from upstairs; no doubt Dudley was playing with his new GameStationX. Which was, of course, the newest and top brand of all the gaming systems. He scowled. If only he was born a different person, someone worth being spoiled and doted upon.

Suddenly, the telephone rang. Harry kept walking to his cupboard doors in search of something to do, knowing that it wasn't for him. The ringing ceased, and so did Dudley's GameStationX. Apparently, he hoped it was for him.

"HARRY!" Aunt Petunia screeched from in the kitchen.

Harry almost tripped on his way to the cupboard, so shocked that someone would call for him, and terribly startled by Petunia's loud shriek. One name formed in his mind. _Draco_.

"Coming Aunt!" Harry called and high tailed his way into the kitchen, where Petunia was holding the phone out by one hand, giving him her best suspicious glare. Before handing him the phone, she whispered to him "I do hope that you are not giving out this phone number to any of your friends," she spat. "I don't think Vernon would like it," she threatened, shaking a finger at him.

                "Hello?" Harry tried to speak without his voice wavering.

                "Oh, Hi Harry." A bright female voice spoke to him. Aunt Petunia, standing beside Harry, noticed the very peculiar look of confusion on Harry's face, which gave her even better reason to scold him more. 

                "Pardon?" Harry asked. "Who is this?" He held the phone up closer to his ear, hoping he heard the voice wrong, and a smooth, silky, male voice would be talking to him in the other end, inviting him to his house.

                "I'm terribly sorry, this is Hermione Granger." Harry paused, about to tell the girl she must've dialed the wrong Harry, for he didn't know a Hermione Granger.

                "I'm from your high school. Hogwarts High School?" She asked, in an anxious tone of voice.  
                "Well, yes, I go there, b-" Harry was cut off as she began speaking again.  
                "Thank goodness, I was hoping I didn't dial the number wrong. I was wondering if you happened to have the summer reading list." There was a pause at the other end, waiting for a reply. 

"Mhm." He mumbled, still very puzzled.

"Oh wonderful! This past summer I'm afraid the school failed to send me my summer reading list. I've only managed to get half of it from some of my friends, because they couldn't find it but I'll get the rest from you, right?"

                "But we only have to read three books from it." Harry asked. 

                "Oh. Well." Hermione fumbled with her words. "I'm doing extra credit for my English teacher, he loves all my essays. I like to interpret the-" Harry cut her off with a few short words.

                "Let me go find it." He set down the phone, and was faced with an unpleasant looking Aunt Petunia.

                "Where did you leave my summer reading list?" Harry asked, as if he was asking the time of day.

                "I didn't touch it, you should know better, Harry," she said menacingly. "You know that I don't ever set foot inside that filthy broom-closet you live in-" It seemed like she was going to say more, but Harry had already pushed past her to go look for his list.

                By the time he had found it in his cluttered space, and gotten back on the phone he was afraid Hermione might have hung up. But she didn't and as Harry began rattling off the names and authors of the books she didn't have he listened to her exclaimed comments, such as "Oh! That sounds exciting!" or "I've read that one four times already…" or even "Oh, that book is only 400 pages, I'm sure it's no good." 

Harry didn't think he had ever met a stranger person in his life. He knew that he, himself, would never fancy reading a 400-page book.

                "Well Harry, thank you so much and I'm quite looking forward to seeing you in school again!" Harry rolled his eyes, knowing full well that since she didn't take one whole step near him that previous years, that she probably never would.

                "We're in the same English and History classes!" She exclaimed into the phone, making Harry's ears ring. This was definitely a change of events.

                "R-really now…Well I can tell you right now I am so very excited!" He said with a false tone of enthusiasm.

                "Good-bye Harry, I can never explain how thankful I am. I don't know what I would've done without the 4 extra points on my grade! I might only get a 96!" She squealed.

                "Bye!" He yelled into the receiver slamming it down. He let out an enormously deep breath, regaining his composure.

                "That, by far, tops my weirdest phone calls ever list." Only when he had locked the cupboard door shut to his space and settled in to take a nap did he realize that he didn't even had a "Weirdest Phone Calls Ever" list.


	3. Chapter 3: Being Alone

Chapter 3 of Friends In Unexpected Places

WIP

3/?

Warnings: A little bit of cutest stuff in this chapter. Be warned. The H/D fluff may get to your head.

Authors Note: 

Excuse the use of "space" when talking about Harry's cupboard. I just simply couldn't keep using cupboard and it's definitely not a room. ^_^;;; 

Also, excuse the childish insults like "freak, stupid head, etc." this story just doesn't seem fitting for cursing insults *shrug* 

Harry woke up the next morning to the sounds of the dishes being washed; the sound of silverware clanking and crashing was all through the house. He rubbed his sleep-sore eyes, and moved to put his glasses on, searching with his left hand. Instead, he found nothing.

                "Where are my-" And then he remembered. They fell off a few night's earlier, in Dudley's room. There was no way he would be allowed back up there. He'd have to sneak. He opened the cupboard door, wincing at the light hit his eyes. Remembering his previous 'successful' attempts as sneaking, he removed his woolen socks, throwing them fiercely into a heap in the corner.

"Hah!" he said to himself. "This time I'm prepared." He stood up. "Too bad I wasn't last time, because then I would've never met that absolute _brat_ Draco Malfoy. Honestly, what kind of a name is Draco anyway? A dumb one, that's for sure" Only then did he begin to hear himself, and stopped his babbling. Harry took a deep breath.

"You're talking to yourself Harry. Get a grip." He crouched under the door, and stepped out silently. Under the ruckus, nobody had even heard the open of the cupboard door. He shut it in one quick movement and proceeded to the stairs, tip-toeing all the way.

The stairs creaked under his every footstep, and he held tightly to the railing trying to distribute his weight. He remembered bitterly "I wouldn't even be having to put myself in this situation if it weren't for Malfoy."

As he reached the last step, he paused, and listened for the beeping noises of Dudley's GameStationX, a new fixation his cousin had accumulated. There were surprisingly none. Harry shrugged and smiled at his luck. He strolled down the hall, peering into each room, checking for his cousin, but he was nowhere to be found. 

Harry opened Dudley's door slowly, making sure he wasn't caught. When he stepped inside he saw nothing but the gadgets Dudley possessed, and the great green couch. His glasses were nowhere in sight. Baffled, yet optimistic, Harry stepped in further, looking under and around the couch, between the seat cushions. Nothing. He panicked. What would the Dursley's say about his missing glasses? He gulped. They wouldn't be the tiniest bit pleased if they had to go to the eye doctor and get him another pair. They always hated spending money on him, and when necessary they spent as little as possibly. He'd probably get a worse kind than he had before, because Aunt Petunia would tell him that he wasn't responsible enough to wear nice ones.

"Dear God, what's with my luck lately?" Harry's hands buried themselves in his hair, tearing at it in frustration "Did I do something wrong? Was I not nice enough to Dudley, didn't set the table enough?" Harry sat down on the floor, panting, utterly depleted. 

"It's probably time for breakfast," He told himself in a quiet defeated voice. It was his own fault he didn't have his glasses anyway. He could've stayed in his cupboard, he could've been more careful, he could've…well he could've done a lot of things. But no, he chose to be with Draco, someone who causes too much trouble. 

"Yeah, that's right," He mumbled to himself. "Ever since he showed up everything's gone haywire." Harry left Dudley's room with a frown on his face.

The moment he stepped into the kitchen, his face contorted. What was going on? Petunia was doing the dishes in a bigger hurry than he had ever seen her before; she was rushing around, putting plates away as fast as she could, and leaving others out on the counter. Vernon was shining the wooden table with what looked like Pine-sol, checking his wristwatch every few scrubs. Harry gaped.

His shoes made a squeaking sound as he shifted his weight, still in awe at the work the Dursley's were putting into…whatever they were doing.

"Get out of here boy." Vernon shouted as he heard his shoes on the tile. "You're ruining the clean floor." He shook a rag at Harry. "Unless you plan on joining in of course…" Vernon said and a wild grin quickly adorned his plump face. 

Harry gulped. "I'll pass, thanks." He said, nearly stuttering. "What's this all about?" He asked carefully, hoping not to tread on their toes.

"Don't you know, Harry?" Petunia said, in between short huffs of breath. "The Malfoy's are coming to talk about buying the business." Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I already knew about that. But where's Dudley?" He looked around, seeing if he could find Dudley running around setting the table, or getting out the vacuum from the living room closet.

"At the Malfoy's." Aunt Petunia said, looking awfully annoyed.

"Go away boy. You're to stay in your cupboard until we tell you to come out." Vernon said gruffly, giving Harry an evil stare, which let Harry know he wasn't to argue. So Draco didn't want him to come after all. Harry made a face, clenched his fists at his sides, and stomped out of the kitchen.

It didn't matter anyway. If he went he probably would just end up beaten into a bloody mess by Draco and Dudley. He would be nice and safe in his cupboard, scratch free. He would be alone.

Harry opened the door roughly, climbing in, and promptly slamming the door.

Dudley lay on the silky soft carpet, laughing himself into incoherence, clutching at his sides.

"Look at me," Draco said, wobbling the glasses on his face. "I'm Harry Potter-" He couldn't seem to finish what he was going to say about Harry when they both started cracking up again.

"Haha-oh man." Dudley said, wiping a few tears out of his eyes. "So you just pocketed those before you left?" He asked.

"Yep. Sure did." Draco said. "I knew it would piss Potter off to no end when he found that they were missing." They sat in the middle of the Malfoy's Great Room, sunlight streaming from the windows that nearly covered up the entire right wall. There was a throw rug in the middle, with a white leather couch and glass coffee table right behind them. A fireplace lay unused in the corner. It was already a boiling hot summer, who needed a fireplace? 

There was a pause of silence as Dudley and Draco began to settle down from their rambunctious high, and they began to realize how empty and huge the house was beginning to seem. TV hardly seemed fitting to do in such an exciting house, yet despite that, they still couldn't figure out what to do. All they had done the past 15 minutes was play with Harry's glasses, insulting themselves as they pretended to be the boy.

"Speaking of Harry…" Dudley began, looking rather uncomfortable. "Why didn't you invite him along?" he questioned. Draco shrugged.

"I didn't know he was allowed. Plus, my father didn't seem to care for him, regardless of the praise I lavished, and wasted by the way, on that stupid git."

Dudley nodded with an "Oh." He began tracing the carpet's pattern with his finger.

As seconds ticked away neither could stand the silence. Draco sat with his arms crossed, looking like he was thinking.

As soon as he couldn't stand the silence any longer they looked up at each other at the same time, both with same thought in mind. "You could just call him, and invited him over now." Dudley suggested, shrugging lightly as if they usually asked Harry over.

Draco grinned widely, and they both scrambled up to get to the nearest phone.

 "Of course the only reason we're doing this is so we can have a punch bag to play with when he comes, right?" Draco grabbed the phone, pulling at the cord.

"Of course." Dudley said while crossing his arms and leaning over a table next to Draco.

"Punch in your number Dursley." Draco said holding out the phone as far as if could go on its cord. He swiftly did so; miraculously not forgetting any numbers, and watched as Draco pulled the starch white phone to his ear.

"Hello?"  
                "Hi Petunia." Draco paused.  
                "Yes, this is Draco." 

"No, there isn't any problem at all." Draco shifted his weight.

"I was merely wondering if Harry would like to join us." 

Draco rolled his eyes "Yes, really."

"Yes, I am positively sure." 

"Alright, thank you."

"Goodbye."

The phone was hung up with a short click and Draco beamed.

"He's coming."

Harry knocked on the door to the enormous house. He was still feeling a bit faint for he had gotten up from the floor of his cupboard too fast, and didn't give himself enough time to recover as he ran out of the door. Harry was grateful that Draco had called, had actually thought of him. He knew being in his dark and ghastly cupboard by himself was much worse than messing with only God knows what he could find in the Malfoy house. Even if Draco was the biggest prat he had ever met in his life…Besides Dudley. Well they were both-.

His thoughts were rudely interrupted as the door swung open. It not quite took both Dudley and Draco to open the huge door, because it was so heavy. 

"Potter. So glad you could make it." Harry noticed that Draco wore his sinister smile again, so much of a change from the smile he flashed Harry's way the previous morning. He also noticed the cold way Draco's pale fingers curled around the door, as if wanting to strangle it. Harry fancied Draco wanted to strangle _him_ instead.

Dudley tried his best to mimic Draco's stare, but he was not nearly as threatening, in Harry's opinion.

"Me too, Malfoy." Harry said, trying to act calmly as he reached out his hand to shake Malfoys. This was the first contact between the two that Harry had initiated and he felt rather queasy as Draco squeezed Harry's hand in his own. Draco's hand was warm instead of cold, as Harry would imagine everything about Draco. He drew back as if Draco's hand had burned him.

"Come on in." Draco motioned for Harry to step inside. 

Their house was as much, maybe even more than Harry expected. There was gold and silver and maroon in nearly every corner of their house. He could pick out something sparkling or glass on every table, like the gold bowl of candy, or shimmering vase with a single rose held in it. There were chandeliers in almost every room, gold and glittering.

"How do you like it Potter?" Draco asked, all but sarcastic, as he took notice of Harry's wandering gaze.

"It's alright." Harry tried to put on a face of indifference and shrugged. Yet, inside he smiled widely as he saw how much this comment bothered Draco, as his face scrunched up in unease.

"It's a fucking palace compared to you're house Potter." Draco's eyes narrowed.

Dudley spoke for the first time as he said, "Hey! It's my house too you know." Harry thought Dudley looked extremely silly with his hands on his hips.

"So what's there to do around here, Malfoy?" Harry asked, as if daring to let him know just how much there was to do around here.

"Well…" Draco brainstormed. "We could go in the backyard, there's plenty to do out there."

Harry shrugged and nodded. "You in fatty?" 

Dudley nodded too. "All for it, freak."

Draco led them outside, which was nothing short of the inside of his mansion. Their backyard was as large as a park, play things on one side, and an enormous rose garden on the other. There was a pack of dirt and sand where a huge oak tree grew, and if Harry looked high enough through the branches, he could see a room-sized tree house. Spread out on the grass to the right, was a giant trampoline.

Harry grinned, thinking about how much fun he could have in this backyard alone. Sleep in the tree house, bounce on the trampoline, run and roll through the soft green grass…He only wished he had the privilege.

"There's two hammocks over there, tied between those trees." Draco stated, leading them to a cool spot in the shade, near the rose garden.

Dudley instantly sat himself down in one, nearly touching the ground with his huge weight.

"I guess were sharing one, eh Potter?" Draco laughed at Harry's anxious expression.

"Don't worry, I don't bite…hard." Draco sat down in a fit of giggles. "I've always wanted to say that." Draco patted a spot next to him on the swinging net. 

"Have a seat Potter." Harry cautiously followed through.

"So what have you mates been up too in the past day?" Draco asked, making conversation.

"He's been sleeping all the bloody time." Dudley said.

Draco tried his best to look appalled at Harry when he was only inches away from him.

"Silly, you'll miss out on the best things in life if you sleep all the time"

Harry scoffed.

"Best things in life? I look forward to making breakfast in the mornings. I look forward to mowing the lawn. That's what _I_ call the best things in my life."

"I take it the swine over here doesn't treat you too well." Draco rested his head back, letting the welcomed breeze play with his hair. 

"That's only the half of it." Harry complained. It was kind of nice though, to be able to get the thoughts off his chest he had been holding in for years, because frankly he didn't have anyone to tell them too.

                "I know what you mean." Draco grimaced.

                "Oh be quiet, you wouldn't know the half of it." Harry snapped. "Look at you with your huge mansion, beautiful backyard. God only knows what else you own."

                A brief look of miserable gloom passed over Draco's face, but if you blinked, you missed it.  
                "Yeah, but all I've got for company are my parents and the empty space in the house; the dust mites. My parents are never home anyway." Draco closed his eyes and put his arms behind his head.

                "I'm always alone." He said wistfully.

                It was in that moment when Harry saw Draco in a different light, something other than the cynical, moody, character he always was; something much more: A person no different from himself. Sure Draco had material things, but would Harry's life really be made complete by video games and trampolines? He understood Draco, and Draco understood him.

                "I'm alone too…" Harry said quietly.

                The only response to greet him was the hum of the breeze.

                Harry noticed Dudley was drifting off to sleep.

                "Dudley, wake up, or you'll miss out on all the best things in life." He laughed as Draco nudged him with his elbow, and he heard a faint chuckle from Draco too.

                "Let's go inside." Draco said, standing out of the hammock. Just as Draco's weight shifted, Harry's did too and Harry ended up nearly flying off the hammock as it twirled and twisted around, only nearly though.

                Draco caught the wrist of Harry's right arm while Harry's left hand managed to catch some net.

                "Thanks buddy." Harry said, using Draco's leverage to stand up.

                Harry dusted himself off as dust began collecting where his shoes had kicked up dirt.

                "Let's go inside, eh Dudley?" Draco asked, having to shake the lump awake.

                Dudley only coped with half the trouble Harry and Draco did, Dudley barley twisted the hammock up, but not before he could solidly plant his two feet on the ground. As they were walking in towards the house Draco whispered to Harry, "I would've laughed so hard if the great brute fell flat on his bum." Harry chuckled and Draco giggled as well, and Dudley looks back at them with a fierce face.

                "Stop talking behind my back." He growled, shaking a fist at them. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you two were acting like the two best buds in the whole world," he said, dejectedly.

                Harry caught Draco's eye and shrugged. Draco smiled and did the same. It took all of both of their strength to hold in the laughter that was threatening to burst. Harry couldn't remember the last time he had laughed in the presence of the Dursleys. It was only fake laughs like when Vernon told his Japanese golfer joke or something silly like that.

                The opened the glass double doors and paused, looking for a direction to go in.

                "We can always go check out my room…" Draco offered. Harry nodded and began to follow him down the hall, and Dudley trailed behind.

Harry only just noticed how hungry he was as Draco's stomach began to growl.

"Dudley," Draco shouted with authority.

"Yup?" Dudley asked, falling into step with Draco.

"You know the kitchen?" Dudley nodded. "Go get us some coffee cake." He commanded. "It's on top of the refrigerator in a box."

Dudley swiftly nodded, and took off in the opposite direction.

"I can't believe you're trusting him with food." Harry shook his head, berating Draco.

"I can't either." Draco said with a smile at Harry, loving their private joke.

They stepped into Draco's room. It was lavishly decorated, ribbons of green and silver everywhere Harry looked.

The bed was wide with a velvety looking comforter, the pillow a different shade of green. His walls were covered with photos of his friends, articles about his favorite sports teams, and posters of his favorite supermodels. His silky drapes were white and silver, and completed the room nicely.

"I take it green and silver are your favorite colors."

Draco shrugged. "It's really that obvious?" He asked, chuckling.

"Definitely obvious." Harry took a seat on Draco's bed, feeling the bedspread with his fingertips.

After letting Draco stare at him for a minute Harry broke the pause of silence.

"Ten bucks says Fathead gets lost." Draco laughed, and sat down close to Harry. He immediately recognized the change in environment. The air seemed closer, more private when it was just the two of them. It was then that Draco started thinking funny.

"You know Potter, you're different." Draco said, not knowing himself what he quite meant.

"Different?" Harry said, teasingly, leaning closer to Draco.

"Yeah, like…" Draco tried to collect his thoughts.

"Like…?" Harry coaxed, folding his hands innocently under his head and rested it on Draco's shoulder.

"Like when I," Draco paused, studying Harry carefully. "Look into your eyes…" He said, making Harry let out a bark of laughter. Draco too, laughed.

"No really, Harry, I'm serious." The smile from his amusement lingered on his flushed face. "I look into your eyes and I see someone really…courageous, and tough. Someone amazing and goofy all wrapped into one kinda." Draco blushed, realizing how incredibly sappy and stupid he sounded.

Harry smiled and made a noise of comfort.

"You know what I see when I look into your eyes Draco?" he asked, a little too seductively. 

Draco swiftly noticed how hot Harry's breath was on his and when he turned his head just a little, they were almost bumping noses. Draco's own eyes went wide, but only Harry could see this.

"What?" He choked out, a lump caught in his throat.

"Straight to the back of your head." Harry said perfectly seriously, still smiling. Draco's jaw dropped.

Harry started laughing incredibly hard at his own joke, and at the expression on Draco's face

"Don't you see-" He laughed, throwing his head back, and landed on the bed on his back. "Don't you see the look…on your face." His breath came in spurts, along with laughter.

"That was below the belt Potter." Draco said, mockingly angry. He was secretly glad that Harry had said that, to break whatever spell he was under. Who notices their friend's breath? Maybe the heat of summer had finally gotten to him.

"Now were even!" Harry said with glee, sticking out his tongue.

"Not quite." Draco said with a growl and crawled up from the bottom over the bed, hands on either sides of Harry, successfully pining him.

"So Draco, you have me right where you want me. What are you going to do now?" Harry asked, with a serious tone, sounding something like a news reporter. 'You've just won the lottery, what are you going to do now?'

"Well first, I'm going to do this…" Draco started as he brushed Harry's side with his finger, eliciting a yelp from the boy underneath him.

"Unlucky really, that you remembered how ticklish I am." Harry said preparing himself for Draco's attack.

"Truly." Draco said, with teasing agreement. He smiled. "This is going to be fun." He said, just before he grabbed at Harry, tickling his sides, his back, his neck, loving the way Harry would toss and roll everywhere, giggling madly. Harry would occasionally thrust up, touching their chest together, which only further spurred Draco on. Harry's laughter was incessant and soon, Draco was following Harry's example, and lost himself in the case of the giggles.

Together, as one big HarryDraco mess, they fell back on the bed, panting like dogs. 

Draco was again reminded how nice Harry's breath felt against his cheek. 

'Stop it Draco.' He tried telling himself, but it only felt natural to nuzzle into Harry's neck.

"I'm tired," Harry said with a pout, and Draco drew his head back to laugh. Harry's head was once again inches from his own.

"Me too." Draco's hair fell from behind his ears to prickle Harry on the nose. He laughed again, pawing at it.

"You must have sensitive nerve endings Potter." Draco said, sounding very scientific, and a bit dirty minded at the same time.  
"Guess I do." He said, uncaring.  
"Mm." Draco made a noise of agreement, not being able to ignore the pull that was drawing his eyes to stare at Harry's face.  
This time, it was Harry's turn to go wide-eyed.

                Harry squirmed as Draco's hand was on his stomach; he was trying not to laugh. Only after he held something up, did Harry realize that Malfoy was merely going through his own pockets.

"Here." Draco said holding out Harry's black-rimmed glasses.

"YOU HAD THEM!" Harry exploded, with a burst of strength tried to get up, failing to remember Draco was on top of him.  
                "I was planning on giving them back, obviously." Draco said.  
                "How should I know?" Harry said, through his grinded teeth.  
                "Because what would I do with a silly pair of round glasses?" Draco said cheerfully, trying to lighten up the mood again.

There was a pause as Harry settled down. "Well I don't know…" Harry whispered, almost shyly. "You and Dudley might've put them on and pretended to be me and say ridiculous things.

Draco blushed with guilt. "Of course not."

"Okay." Harry said, sounding childish, and lay back down. He closed his eyes.

Draco felt another pang of what must be summer fever (or something), and resisted the urge to reach out to Harry, to run his fingers along Harry's pretty lips, which were currently slightly pursed.

"Wanna take a nap Draco?" Harry asked sweetly, sounding seemingly innocent, yet Draco's thoughts were anything but.

"Dudley must be coming back with that coffee cake shortly…" Draco said remorsefully. He liked it when it was just he and Harry. Harry was so much more _interesting_ than Dudley. Harry didn't follow him around like a dog, or copy his every move. Harry was so much more than that…

"He probably ate it all plus half the food in your house." Harry said with a light laugh. Draco murmured an agreement.

Harry sighed and turned his head to the side, trying to get comfortable. While watching him longing quickly filled Draco, threatening to burst him. It was also threatening to have Draco do something he really shouldn't…

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Draco almost jumped out of his skin.

"Dear Lord, that scared the crap out of me." Draco panted, regaining his breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. He looked back down at Harry who was in a similar state of shock. It was a very unpleasant awakening but Draco was relieved. The feelings inside him almost spilled over a few seconds ago, he really didn't want to think of what would've happened. Panic crowded him as he thought about Harry never wanting to see him again, never wanting to talk to him again.

 They both slowly got up and headed to answer the door, not even bothering to find Dudley. An awkward silence packed its way between them like a wall, and they did not speak as they made their way to the door.

As Harry predicted, Dudley was waiting by the door, his face covered in cake and who knows what else.

                "I uh, got lost." Dudley made up lamely.

                "Sure thing pig…" Draco said, as he swung the door open.

Standing there was a very flushed and happy Petunia. She was beaming. They obviously had come to an agreement on the business.

'Drat,' came ringing in Harry's mind.

"Hello Draco dear, how are you?" Petunia greeted.   
                "Just fine Mad' am." Draco replied smoothly, impressing Harry

                "Harry wasn't trouble was he?" She asked sweetly, yet you could hear the underlying bitter tones in her voice.

                "Not at all, Mrs. Dursley." Draco flashed her a glittering smile. "Please do allow him to come back soon," Draco said as more of a statement, than a question.

                "Of course." She forced the answer out. Her hand reached to Dudley's

                "Time to go home Diddly-kins. Harry" She glared at him

Harry longed to stay as he was nearly pulled out the door by Petunia. "The Malfoy's already placed a huge burden on themselves by inviting you over, let's go." She looked into Harry's eyes sternly.

Harry looked back at Draco as best he could by avoiding Petunia's arm on the back of his shirt. 

He sulked as he was pushed and pulled down the Malfoy's walkway, on his way home. Home. It sounded so…dull. There wasn't anybody at _home_ to talk to. Here there was…  
                "Potter." Draco called back, as Harry was dragged halfway down the walkway.

"Hold on." Harry shouted, grabbing Petunia's arm and freeing himself of her cold grip. "Be right back." He told her as he jogged lightly back to the door.

"Yea?" He said, trying to play cool, when his heart was pounding in his chest. He brushed back his hair with his right hand, letting it linger in the curly strands and he noticed Draco looking at it. 

"You want to…come over another day?" Draco asked, feeling incredibly awkward. 

Harry smirked. "Ah, so now you like me?" He asked, accusingly.

Draco shrugged, smiling as well. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

Harry gave Draco a critical stare. "Maybe you do." He said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Only maybe." Draco said, always loving their battle of words.

"Probably you do." Harry's smile grew wider, trying to hold in his laughter.

"Probably." Draco admitted, shrugging.

"Good." Harry said, and turned around.

He quickly started running back to Petunia, hoping for a light scolding instead of a stronger one. Yet for some reason, the thought didn't bother him any longer.

A/N: Middle is kind of rushed, because I did the beginning and the end before the middle. The middle was kind of a filler…it didn't really work as planned. I'll probably add more to this chapter later but it's already so long!


	4. Chapter 4: What You Mean To Me

Chapter 4: What You Mean To Me

Harry yawned, scratching at his head, getting stuck in the mass of tangles that lay atop his brow. His breakfast still lay untouched in front of him. The daily eggs, bacon, and orange juice just didn't have the same affect it did the first time he tried it. A bored look adorned his face, and he drummed his fingers on the table.

Suddenly, Petunia rushed through the kitchen, the click of her heels sounded loudly in the quiet house. Harry watched as she grabbed her purse from the counter, throwing it over her shoulder, not even looking Harry's way. When she was nearly through the doorframe she stopped and stared, as if for the first time noticing Harry. 

                "What in bloody hell's name are you doing Harry?" she shrieked, her lips curled in a sneer. Before Harry could answer that he had indeed been eating breakfast, not sitting idly by it, letting it get cold, Dudley ran through the door, a flushed look on his face.

                "Mummy, let's go, we're going to be late!" He screamed hoarsely. Harry was getting further and further befuddled by the minute. Dudley had his shoes on a tied, dressed in proper jeans and a t-shirt. With him, he held a piece of paper.

                "What do you mean 'Let's go'?" Harry asked, dropping his silverware with a sharp clang. Petunia nearly jumped, her nerves were so edgy.

                "Harry, I told you a million times last night that today we were going out to get yours and Dudley's school books." She looked exasperated. "-But of course, you weren't listening to me, just sitting there with a slightly dazed and glazed-over look on your face." Petunia rolled her eyes and continued. "You have three minutes to get ready!" She held up three of her bony, white fingers. "That's THREE Harry. No more, no less." She stomped off leaving Harry to listen to the fade of her clicking heels. The room was once again, filled with silence, and yet also filled with another boy.

                Dudley glared at him once Petunia was gone purposely and obviously, visibly wanting some kind of reaction or attention.

                "What's that look for Dudley?" Dudley still looked huffy, and crossed his arms and upturned his nose.

                "I'm not talking to you, Mr. Slightly Dazed and Glazed-over." Dudley snarled with a childish defiance.

                "And just why aren't you, not that I mind…" Harry said, thinking the possibilities of Dudley not talking to him over.

                "Ha. Wouldn't you like to know?" Dudley scoffed and started muttering to himself. "Mr. Slightly dazed and glazed over. Hah. More like Mr. Slightly In Love!" 

                Harry caught the tail wind of this comment and instantaneously scraped the chair back to look his cousin in the face.

                "What did you say?" He asked with a vicious, furious whisper.

                "I didn't say anything at all." Dudley said, with equal force back.

                "Yes you did. You said I was more like Mr. Slightly In Love!" Harry's hands slammed down over the table, his face bent in a frown. 

                "So what if I did?" Dudley asked, sarcastically. "It's true anyways.  You and Draco, hell, even I can tell. You're sucha…sucha…friend-stealer!" Dudley burst, unable to figure out a better insult for people of Harry's caliber. 

                "Friend-stealer, what are you talking about you idiot?" Harry bantered.

                "Draco and I were friends FIRST." Dudley roared. "Now you two whisper behind my back, send me off to get you two food so you can frisk in his bedroom…I'm not oblivious Harry!" Harry was shocked at the amount of emotion bared on Dudley's face and his jaw dropped. 

                Suddenly, Harry panicked as he heard the familiar sound of heels on wood. He swiftly fled the kitchen, diving into his cupboard to find his shoes, momentarily forgetting about Dudley.

                He luckily landed softly on his winter jacket, which was buried under another some-odd mountain of clothes. He cursed his messy habits, as he retrieved only one shoe.

                "HARRY!" came the familiar screech of his Aunt.

                "I'm coming!" He said, pulling out his other tattered shoe, only glad it was summer and not winter, and pushed it on his foot.

                 There was an unusual tense silence in the Dursley's car. Harry busied himself by looking out the window, and listening to the car engine hum. Thought it was a little _too_ unsettling for him.

                "Dudley, can you turn on the radio?" Harry asked his plump cousin, who was sitting in the front seat. He waited patiently for a response, but never got one. The car continued to drone on.

                "Mummy, did you hear something?" Dudley asked sarcastically. Petunia kept focus, and the only way you could tell her acknowledgement of the question was the flit of her eyes over Dudley, then back on the road.

                "Because _I _sure didn't hear anything." Dudley continued, not caring if Petunia ignored him. 

                "And I suppose neither did Aunt Petunia, huh?" Harry said, mocking Dudley with a laugh.

                "Be quiet you!" Dudley twisted himself around in his seat, looking back at Harry.

                Petunia turned the wheel and they pulled into the parking lot of the shopping center and Dudley nearly fell over in his seat. Harry smirked and felt the balloon of happiness inside of him growing, just realizing the feeling had stayed with him since last night.

                They stopping in a parking spot right outside the bookshop they were about to enter.

Dudley and Harry both made to grab the handles of their doors                at the same time, but Petunia auto-locked all the doors in the car with a resounding click.

                Harry and Dudley, startled turned their heads to look at Petunia who held a stern gaze.

                "If you would both kindly tell me what this is all about?" Her eyes bounced from Harry to Dudley, bath and forth.

                "All what about?" Harry asked with a panic, wanting to avoid the subject badly.

                Petunia sent him another glower. Harry sighed, lowering his head. Dudley quickly took the initiative.

                "Draco likes Harry better than he likes me!" Dudley whined loudly, giving Petunia his best puppy-eyes. Harry was amazed as he watched Petunia sputter, left flabbergasted. He had never seen her speechless before. 

                "Well Dear, I'm sure Draco likes you. He just wants to be polite to Harry…" She made up lamely. Even Dudley seemed to notice how unconvincing it was and his face fell. As she saw her son's grimace, her own face seemed to express resentment towards Harry and sympathy to her boy.

                She unlocked the doors.

                "You have your book list right Duddles?" She asked trying to be cheerful, and held out her hand. He roughly stuffed a piece of paper into her outstretched hands, pushing past her, obviously livid and very irritated by the both of them. A bell rang when Dudley pressed against the door, walking through and leaving his family.

                Petunia sighed.

                "Look what you've done now Harry." She said, clicking her shoes on the cement.

                "I swear, Dudley, is just reading too much into one visit." Harry countered, trying to redeem himself.

                "Oh, just shut up!" She snapped, and entered herself, letting Harry come in behind her.

                The bell rang again, Harry looked up to see it tied to the edge of the door with yellow ribbon. He stepped into the enormous shop, in awe at the sheer amount of rows and rows of books. In front of him was a smiling cashier sporting a blue baseball cap and a white over shirt, who smiled at Harry, waving. Harry tentatively waved back, wondering if the man knew him. There were not many people in the shop, it was quiet, just like the car ride, and Harry itched to make some noise. 

                "Harry I have your list right here." He looked up at Petunia, who was glancing around, looking for her enraged son. She held out his list without interest and he grabbed it out of her hand, walking away from Petunia as quickly as he could.

                He went down the first row he could find and looked at the lines and lines of books, all different sizes and colors. Harry decided to take a look at the list in his hands, and read to himself the first book on it. "The Short Stories by Ernest Hemingway." he read aloud to himself. He shrugged. It could be worse. Checking the labeled shelves he followed the alphabetical order until he found the one he was searching for. 

                His hand grabbed onto the end of the shelf, swinging himself down the row and he stopped, gaping slightly and his eyes went wide. Down at the other end was quite possibly one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen. She had long brown-blonde hair that framed her face in curls. Her brown eyes and long dark lashes were intently studying the inside covers of one of the books she had taken down from the rack. Harry held his breath as he walked closer to her, watching the light from one of the windows cast shadows all over her pale, smooth face.

                "Excuse me…" She started, making Harry jump backwards in surprised, having gotten use to the door-pan stillness. She looked up at him and her eyes lit up and pink mouth spread in a smile, revealing sparkling white teeth.

                "Oh, Harry!" She squealed, and Harry promptly recognized the sound. 'Hermione,' he thought, utterly surprised that such a beautiful girl could have such a strange personality on the phone.

                "That's such a coincidence we met here!" She clutched the book she was paging through, to her chest, bending her knees and straightening them in excitement.

                As she did this, another boy appeared from a row over, speaking to her. "Hermione, I couldn't find…" He paused, looking at Harry warily. Harry's eyes went right to the boy's glowing red hair, noticing his face was splashed with freckles. He too, was pale, but also had deep red lips, to match his hair.

                "Oh Ron, hello," Hermione said, looking as guilty as if she was just caught taking a cookie from the cookie jar. "This is Harry, from school." She said proudly as if displaying an award of trophy. "I was just asking him where a certain book was from our list, but I stopped mid-sentence," she said thoughtfully.

                 She replaced the books and folded her hands in front of her, looking at Ron.

                "Hello Ron." Harry said, holding out his hand in greeting, trying his best to smile at Ron. Ron was still looking at him with an extreme expression of doubt, yet took his hand.

                "Hullo Harry." He said in a quiet, toneless voice. Harry thought it was rather nice.

                "So Harry," Hermione cut in, watching as the two boy's hands dropped from each other. "What are you doing today?" Harry opened his mouth to tell them about how strict his Aunt Petunia was, and he probably wouldn't be able to go anywhere with the two. She didn't let him finished.

                "Ron and I have been going around shopping for school, you know, this and that. You should come along." She smiled again, and Harry watched the gold flecks in her eyes waver back and forth with a sparkle.

                "Well…" Harry said in a faint voice. "If you insist." He scratched the back of his head nervously.

She laughed, and Harry found it contagious.

                "I'm so glad." She said, turning to Ron, who had a glower on his face. "Aren't you Ron?" She asked, oblivious to his unhappy face. 

                "Ecstatic." He said in a dull and apparently unexcited voice. He delved his hands into the pockets of his khaki shorts. Harry couldn't help but notice Ron's legs were every bit as white as himself, and every bit as freckly. Harry was too busy looking at Ron's pasty legs to notice Hermione bustling through a book she had already picked out earlier.

                "Well actually I should ask my aunt…" Harry started to say, knowing that Petunia would never let him go.

                "Harry?" Hermione interrupted, suddenly standing much closer to Harry than he had previously remembered her being.

                "Yup?" He squeaked.

                She held out a book in her hands, open to the third page. "What does this word mean?" She asked, pointing to the word, and bending her head slightly nearer to Harry's own.

                "That word." Harry said dumbly. Hermione laughed, eyes sparkling, finding this incredibly funny.

                "Yes, Harry. That word." She pointed again, this time her eyes locked with Harry's. He gulped.

                "Perfidious." Harry stated and Hermione nodded.

                "Well it means unfaithful, or disloyal…I think." Harry's brow furrowed pensively. 

                "What about inamorato?" Hermione asked, pointing at a word in the same sentence, unmoving.

                "It's like someone you're in love with, but male." He informed her.

                "Oh wow, thanks." Hermione looked at the book again, turning it the front cover. "It's one of the books on the recommended reading list." She explained. Harry moved to take a closer look.

                "I take it the book is about an unfaithful boyfriend?" Harry guessed, smiling at Hermione. She grinned widely back.

                "Well I don't know…why don't you find out?" She handed it to Harry. He sputtered.

                "I'm not exactly the love story type." He defied, grasping the book and trying to hold it out for her to take back.

                "What Harry?" Hermione asked, appalled. "Are you saying you don't believe in love?" Harry's head turned to look away, embarrassed.

                "Well I've never really thought about it." He said with a shrug, letting the book rest in his hand at his side.

                "Maybe you should look into it." She tried again. "You never know what you may find." She sent him a smirk. Harry glared at her in a friendly manner, and opened to the last page of the book.

                "…We sat side by side in the morning light and looked out at the future together." Harry read, unimpressed.

                "Wow…" Hermione murmured. "Com'on Harry. You can't honestly tell me that you aren't the least bit curious…"

                "I am honestly not the least bit curious." He said closing the book, watching Hermione's face turn from a smiling one to a pouting one.

                "Let me see it." She said opening the book again, reading the inside of the front cover aloud.

                "Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility…Wow, this is amazing." Her eyes scanned the pages.

                 "What's amazing?" Harry asked, trying to reach back for the book.

                "Oh, no you don't." Hermione held the book to her chest. "Only a second ago you were keen on getting rid of it. I think I should like to read it."

                "Then let me just look at it." Harry asked again, trying his hardest to be sincere. "Please?" He asked again, the tone of his voice began to grow whiney.

                "Oh, alright." Hermione said calmly, as if this was just what she wanted to do. "Read the first paragraph." She instructed. "If you want to read it, read it. If you don't, I will." She offered.

                "Fine." Harry sighed and paged the book open.

                "What You Are To Me, by Barbara Moss." Harry read, looking up at Hermione skeptically. 

                "Go on." Hermione said, folding her hands together in front of herself.

                Harry cleared his throat. "We all want to fall in love. Why? Because that experience makes us feel completely alive. Where every sense is heightened, every emotion is magnified, our everyday reality is shattered…" Harry paused, and swallowed loudly. "…And we are flying into the heavens. It may only last a moment, an hour, an afternoon. But that doesn't diminish its value. Because we are left with memories that we treasure for the rest of our lives…" Harry trailed off, blushing a furious red. 

                "Be careful Harry, or your face will start to match with Ron's hair." Hermione said, highly amused.

                "But I don't understand love." Harry said, in a last ditch attempt to throw off Hermione's persistence.

                "You will." Hermione said, drifting off in her own thoughts. She glanced over at Ron who was paging through a Star Wars book. "Someday you will…" She turned her head from Ron's direction to Harry's.

                 "We should get going soon." She said quietly, lowing her eyes. Her demeanor changed from the perky small girl to a silent beautiful woman. Heading down the row, her outstretched fingertips brushed against the binding of each of the books.

                "Hermione." Harry said, calling her to stop, but she didn't. "I haven't even gotten my school books yet," he murmured to himself, looking at the book in his hand and he turned it over. 

On the cover was a smiling young girl, bright blonde hair illuminated in the sunlight. She had her hands clasped in a boy's, and he was spinning her around. He too, had white-blonde hair and a tall thin frame. Harry was startlingly reminded of Draco.

                "Draco never looks this happy though…" Harry said to himself, running his finger over the hard cover, wrapped in plastic. The boy's mouth was open in a laugh ducking the sprinklers the two were running through in the hot day of summer.

                "Do I ever look this happy?" he wondered desperately.

                He placed his hand over the book, not wanting to look at the carefree faces any longer. 

He walked out the row, leaving Ron to find him and Hermione later. Just as he turned the corner he ran smack into Petunia.

                "Excuse-" she started to say, but her cold hard eyes lingered, realizing it was Harry. "There you are, I've been looking for you all over." She noticed that Harry only had one book in his hand. "Where are all you're things Harry?" Petunia asked in a highly annoyed voice. Harry opened his mouth to speak but never got the chance

                "What is this rubbish? It doesn't even look like school material." Petunia said with a suspicious glare, reaching for the book Harry held under his arm.

                "N-nothing." Harry said so quickly, pulling the book backwards Petunia was astonished.

                She glared once more at Harry before sighing. "You better hurry up, Dudley is almost finished and he'll be wanting to go."

                "No actually…" Harry said, reaching out a hand to her before she could move. "Some friends of mine are here…" Petunia was on the verge of laughing.

                "_You_ have friends?" She sneered. 

                Harry wanted to glare back at the bony face of his Aunt, but he knew that would only get him into more trouble. "I do, and they want me to spend the day with them." Harry pleaded.

                To his utter surprise and disbelief she handed him his library card. "I believe it would be best for you and Dudley to spend the day away from each other. Besides," She smiled. "Dudley can go home and spend the day with Draco." 

Harry's stomach turned with jealousy. He knew Petunia was only saying that to rile him up, so he merely nodded. He moved to find his other schoolbooks and watched as Petunia strolled out of sight.

                Vanilla ice cream dripped off of Harry's grinning face, loving the way it melted in his spoon on the way from the cup to his mouth.

                "This was a much better way to spend my day." He said, mostly for his own benefit.

                "I bet." Ron agreed. "You're Aunt looked like a witch…if you don't mind me saying. And don't even get me started on that lump you call a cousin." Harry laughed; having long figured out he favored the company of Ron…Yet, none more than Hermione. She was extremely intelligent, stunningly gorgeous, and had the best sense of humor Harry had ever enjoyed.

                "You two don't even know the half of it!" Harry exclaimed, causing Hermione to laugh, holding her hand to her mouth politely. He watched the strawberry ice cream dribble on her mouth. 

                "So the other day…"Ron began. "My brothers, Fred and George, you know them Hermione." She nodded curtly, urging him to continue. "Well they're the biggest mischief makers I've ever known in my life." He stated for Harry benefit. 

"So yesterday they told Mum that she shouldn't bother taking out the trash, and that they would do it for her instead, because of how badly behaved that had been, or something."

"Oh no." Hermione said, chuckling.

"That's what I said." Ron sounded astonished. "I didn't know Mummy would be mad enough to trust the twins with anything, let alone garbage. They were up to something." Ron leaned over the table, closer to his friends as if telling them a huge secret.

"The next day, Ms. Wally's house was flooded with watery garbage!" Ron yelled. Harry's mouth gaped. He would never be able to pull something like that on someone, not unless he wanted a terrible punishment.

"They told me how they did it too." He said excitedly. "They filled the garbage can up half with garbage, half with water, put it at an angle against the door. All they had to do was wait until she opened the door to get the morning paper and-Bam!" Ron snapped his fingers in emphasis.

"Oh no." Hermione squealed. "That's terrible." She sounded horrified but a telltale smirk was evident on her face.

"Did they get in much trouble?" Harry asked, incredulous.

"Oh yea, they get in trouble all the time, but they don't care." Ron took another sip of his smoothie.

"Mum was absolutely infuriated. She's making them go over and weed her garden for her in a few days, but I wouldn't even trust them not to mess that up as well."

Hermione shook her head, muttering something akin to 'hopeless.'

"Hermione, they would probably think of that as a compliment." Ron said to her, obviously having heard her declaration. 

Harry's wristwatch suddenly went off, beeping to high heaven. "Oh man." His head hung in disappointment. "I really should be getting back home, Petunia might have a fit if I miss dinner." 

Both Ron and Hermione had similar looks of dismay on their faces.

"Understandable." Ron said shrugging and giving Harry a friendly wink. He pulled the car keys out of his pocket. "Okay, everybody to the car." He announced, pushing Hermione towards his parked car, tickling her sides as he went. Harry closely looked at the expressions on his new friends faces, the looks of elation, joy, and the laugh lines. He couldn't help but think of the cover of the book.

A/N: Thank god I finally got this done, right? ;)

I'll delete the notes as soon as people realize that I've updated a new chapter.

Check out my fan art! (Ch5 Note)

The love quotes are, obviously quotes and not by me. Heh ^_^


	5. Chapter 5: Harry's Revelation

Chapter 5:

When Harry got home Dudley wasn't home, leaving him with a sick, jealous reminder of where he was and where Harry wasn't. _"Draco and I were friends FIRST!"_ The statement Dudley made echoed in the back of Harry's head, but he shook it off and told himself it didn't mean anything.

Dudley wasn't the one who had met _and_ spent the day with the most incredible girl in the world. He was. 

That seemed to satisfy his inner insecurities and he swiftly went to the kitchen to help prepare dinner. 

To his stomachs regret, there was no dinner. No grilled chicken, cooling on the stove, no boiling water ready for potatoes, no wafting smell of warming garlic bread. 

"Where's dinner?" Harry asked as Petunia and Vernon were sitting at the table, hands folded on the table looking extremely serious.

"Dinner isn't for another hour boy." Vernon stated.

"I assume Dudley is still at the Malfoy's?" Harry asked, trying to ignore the sinking feeling growing in the bottom of his belly. 

"Of course." Petunia snarled. "He's spending the night over there so do not be fiddling with any of his belongings." She exclaimed, in her mind sure that Harry would anyway. 

"S-spending the night?" Harry stumbled over his words, looking astonished and rather taken aback.

"Yes, yes. Get out of my sight, boy! We're in the middle of something" Vernon sneered, curling the edges of his mouth. With a defeated look Harry meekly crept out of the kitchen, yet not before catching Petunia's watchful eye. She held a confident and mocking glare, knowing full well that being in this position bothered him.

He began to slink to the loneliness of his too-cramped cupboard but never made it. There was an enormous BANG and the ever-so-plump Dudley came barging through the door as though his pants were on fire.

"Mummy!" He called with a ferocious scowl on his face, not seeing Harry. "Where is he, where is the little freak?" Dudley called, plainly hopping mad.

"I'm right here you bumbling idiot!" Harry shouted. "What've you come to gloat?" Harry spat out with resentment. 

"Hardly." Dudley shouted. "Draco…" he started out in a booming voice. "Insists," he hissed, breaking with a dramatic pause throughout the sentence. "That you…" His breathing was heavy. "Join us." He finished letting out a giant breath. Harry's bored eyes flew open in astonishment

"H-he what?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Don't make me say it again." Dudley growled.

"Right." Harry said with a grin that could not be wiped off by any eraser. "I'm off then." His stride was full of confidence and he knew that one day with Dudley couldn't change Draco's mind about him.

"You are absolutely not going anywhere." Petunia said, with her skeletal jaw clenched tightly.

"But why?" Harry whined, wanting nothing more than to go with Dudley.

"Because…because you have already spent the whole day with your friends. That's privilege enough." Harry could tell she only party believed this, only wanting to make up a further excuse for Dudley to be with Draco without Harry.

"Petunia…" Vernon touched her shoulder with a beefy hand. "It would really do good to get this bratty boy out of our hair for the rest of tonight while we decide the…uh. You know." 

Petunia sighed, knowing Vernon was right. "Harry you mustn't be a disturbance." Her voice sounded weary and heavy and for the first time since he could remember, Harry pitied her. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand Dudley's whining and constant need to be pleased. She actually did a very good job of it.

"Thank you." He said politely and paused to look them both in the eye, and then rushed to the door.

"Ready Dudley?" He said, scorning him with a jeer. 

"As I'll ever be." Dudley said disappointedly, tightly hugging his jacket around himself.

Harry found himself for the second time, staring at the glittering precious belongings the Malfoys had decorating their house, only wishing he could live in such a palace.

The only change he saw, was his parents who would currently occupying the living room, watching the news.

"Draco," His father drawled. "Why don't you take your friends…" Harry saw his father eye him, giving him a look over. "…To you're game room. You can watch the television in there." For only the second time Harry glanced at Draco's mother, who was lounging on a love sofa, flipping through the daily paper. She looked very classy, in Harry's opinion.

"Right, Father." Draco said in an assumed agreement. "This way, duffers." Draco smirked confidently, staring right at Harry when he made his comment.

The three of them clambered up the long, elegant stairs making a sharp first right into an enormously inviting room.

"We can play video games if you like." Draco offered, while taking a seat on a black leather couch seated in front of a TV, which had many game systems hanging by cords from it.

"No." Dudley said sorely. Draco looked a bit offended at Dudley.

"Well we can see what's on the telly." He moved to grab the remote.

"No." Dudley said, with even more force and resentment.

Draco was beginning to get frustrated. "We can get on the computer, there's some fun games-"

"I don't want to." Dudley complained, and cross his arms.  
"Well, we could always just go to bed early, right now in fact." Draco spit out sarcastically. "Is that what you want Dudley?" He asked tauntingly.

"Not at all." Dudley said with ease.  
"Then why don't you tell us all, what exactly _you_…" he said, poking Dudley. "…Want to do."

"I want HIM to go home." Dudley shouted, pointing at Harry.

"Too bad Dursley, I wanted him to come. He stays. Period." Draco said harshly.

"Why did you want him to come anyway?" Dudley's eyes narrowed.

Draco paused, not know the answer to the question himself.

"I figured it would be more fun with three instead of two." He shrugged.

"Two's company three's a-, what's that saying?" Dudley asked, trying to think of it.

"Three's a crowd." Harry said, taking a seat next to Draco on the couch.

"Oh well you feel the same as I do huh?" Dudley asked, twisting Harry's words around.

"Well yes, of course." Harry nodded, startling Draco.

"Then why did you come over in the first place?" Dudley asked, sitting on a squishy looking armchair. 

"What are you talking about? I meant for you to go home." Harry and Draco both burst out giggling, and Draco couldn't resist giving Harry a high-five.

"Damn, you're cunning Potter." Draco said, letting the rest of his giggles wane. 

"I try." He smiled cutely, trying to look innocent.

"You're _anything_ but cunning." Dudley snarled.

"Well he already proved you wrong." Draco said with a scoff.

"Shut up." Dudley said. "Let's play video games." He tried weakly to change the subject.

"Only a minute ago you didn't want to." Draco said, sounding like a scolding mother. "Are we avoiding the subject?" Draco smirked, his mouth drawn tightly to one side of his mouth.

"Of course not." Dudley snapped quickly.

"Then why are you so quick to change the subject?" Harry joined in.

"I'm not doing anything of the sort." He defied. "Let's just stop talking about it." He writhed under their piercing gazes.

"Look, you're doing it again." Draco indicated.

"Am not." Dudley yelled.

"Do you have some sort of problem with Harry and I being friends?" He ridiculed, knowing full well that Dudley did. Draco put his arm over Harry's head, resting on his shoulder.

"Harry and I are great buds," said Draco. "Right, Harry?" He looked over to Harry who had suddenly gone a few different shades of red.

"Right." He swallowed.

"I bet you are." Dudley said acidly.

"Now Dudley why would you say that?" Draco questioned. 

"You and him are more than friends. I can tell." Dudley said simply. Draco nearly choked on his own spit, coughing, but managed to regain his composure.

"You really think so Dudley?" Malfoy looked skeptical.

"Yes." He said swiftly and firmly.

"I think the paranoia is getting to your head." Harry said, looking unimpressed by Dudley's performance. "You don't even have anything to back that up." Harry shrugged Malfoy's hand off, feeling instead of relaxed, uncomfortable.

"I think," Draco started to say. "You're just disappointed that your cousin would ever beat you at anything." His words hurt Dudley's ears.

"Am not!" He shouted insolently. 

"I think that you can't stand to see him be better than you, to see him have friends when you yourself have none." Draco growled.

"That isn't true at all!" whimpered Dudley.

"Then just shut up about it okay?" Draco roared with intimidation, gnashing his teeth together.

"Ok, fine." Dudley wailed, on the verge of tears or anger or something worse.

"Good." Draco said self-assured with a smug smile on his face.

Harry smiled at Draco, looking up to him a bit. That was great how he just silenced Dudley like that; he never could've done something like that. It was rather…brave.

After a few moments of nobody saying anything, Draco looking bored, and Harry half-falling asleep, Dudley spoke.

"I want to go to bed. You both are hideously boring." He said in a very pompous voice.

"Fine then, duffer." He said, by using the word he had previously. It sounded so much nicer when he was only using it to describe Dudley.

"Let's go to my room, it's downstairs. You must remember Potter." Harry nearly colored again knowing full well that yes, he did remember where Draco's room was, and it was rather embarrassing to hear.

"I remember." He said in a bashful voice.

"I bet you look back fondly on that memory, freak" Dudley said with glee.

"I bet he does too." Draco said, laughing.

"Hey! What ever happened to you sticking up for me?" Harry asked, bordering on furious.

"I only speak the truth." Draco said, grinning at Harry with a friendly air.

"Oh you're asking for it Draco Malfoy," said Harry his joviality showing.

"Asking for what, exactly?" Malfoy pronounced snobbishly.

"You know." Harry said, running down the stairs ahead of the two.

Behind Draco nobody saw Dudley mouth 'you know' to himself, travestying Harry's words.

They went down a hall directly under the stairs, so familiar to Harry. This was about the time they had earlier sent Dudley away.

Draco opened the recognizable door with a creak. "My parents are probably in bed, we need to be quiet." He warned. "Unless you're suicidal." He said, sounding ridiculously offhand.

Draco walked to a box that was supposed to look like a treasure chest, surely something of Malfoy's from his childhood days, and pulled out a great big blue sleeping bag.

"Dudley." Draco said. "You will get the sleeping bag and the nice soft plush carpet." Draco unceremoniously dropped the overly stuffed sleeping bag to the floor, which actually did look rather soft, Harry noted.

"Where will Harry sleep then?" Dudley glanced around, searching for another sleeping bag or some blankets.

"In my bed of course." Draco said, trying not to blush as he realized how good it sounded out loud. Harry gulped nervously and loudly at this, and removed his glasses.

"Sounds great Malfoy," Harry said in the most frightened voice Draco had ever heard in his life.

"If you don't want to that's fine of course…" Draco said quickly, eyes lowering.

"No it's perfectly fine." Harry agreed, trying to make Draco happy.

"How come he gets the bed?" Dudley whined, dropping to a sitting position on his makeshift bed.

"Because I wouldn't want you rolling over and squashing me in my sleep now, would I?" Draco asked, unafraid of insulting the colossal boy. 

"…And we can't have both of you dolts sleeping on the floor." Draco said simply.

Dudley nodded, surprised that Draco had an actual reason.

"Let me just change into my pajamas quickly. Harry I might have an extra pair for you, but none that would fit you Dudley…" he trailed off, searching his multiple closets for something suitable for Potter.

Dudley looked upset.

"Here." He said, brandishing a pair of green plaid cotton pants and a white wife-beater that Harry thought was a bit see-through. He handed the hangers to Harry and buried himself back in his closet.

"Go on Potter, hurry up and change so I don't _see_ anything." Instead of sounding disgusted Draco actually sounded quite filled with anticipation.

"Right."

He stripped out of his black shirt and pale-tan jeans and he put on the clothes Malfoy had handed him, swearing he could see Draco peeking once or twice and then busying himself again.

Draco came out of the closet wearing baggy long silk pajamas bottom. They were black. His top was simply a red t-shirt that looked like it could fit a ten year old, being stretched so taut over Draco's chest. It made him uncomfortable.

"Do you normally wear clothes that don't fit?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"Not usually, but this is a special occasion." Draco teased back, grinning a toothy grin at him.

"You are such a smart ass." Harry muttered as he pulled back the soft and inviting looking covers.

"So kind of you to notice my ass Potter." Draco hopped on to the bed before Harry could finish pulling the blankets back.

"You only wish, Malfoy." Harry said fiercely, trying to push Draco off the bed.

"Would you two kindly cut out the flirting in front of me." Dudley said in an especially distraught voice.  Harry and Draco fell silent and Harry withdrew the arm that was currently on Malfoy.

"Thank you." Dudley lay down, curled up in his sleeping bad and pulled one of the corners over so he was hidden from view.

Harry looked at Draco and mouthed to him "He's screwy." Harry made circular motions around his own head with his finger, and Draco guffawed, holding on to his mouth to prevent the laughter from escaping, but failed.

"Would you like me to sleep in the other room?" Dudley asked, scathingly as he sat up, bag falling from him. "Or perhaps I should go home. How would you like that? Never had much time alone did you?" Dudley's face was in a grimace.

"Of course not." Draco said, still maintaining control of the situation. "Why are you being so silly all of a sudden?" 

"Me?" Dudley sounded astounded. "You think I'm the one being silly? What about _you_?" He pointed at Draco. "Clearly I was mistaken the first time I met you." 

"What on earth are you talking about?" Draco asked, feeling more and more panicked by the moment, yet regain outward composer.

"I remember someone who hated my stupid, pathetic cousin. I remember someone who got in a fight with him the first night he met him. You both just _so_ quickly forgot about that didn't you?" There was a guilty silence between Draco and Harry.

"Didn't you?" Dudley said with more force.

"Shut up, do you want to wake my parents?" Draco hissed, silencing Dudley.

"You both are a pair of faggots. That's all you are. You disgust me." Dudley stood up, and dragging his sleeping bag behind him, opened the door.

"Have a good nights sleep." Dudley said mockingly.

The door shut behind him with a barely audible click, leaving Harry and Draco to stare at each other in wonder.

"I apologize on his behalf Draco." Harry murmured, still in awe at the guts Dudley had displayed.

"Don't worry about it Potter, you could tell he's only jealous." Draco smirked at Harry. "I'm sure I can convince him with my stunning good looks and suave demeanor to forget all about his silly little ideas." Draco emphasized his self-indulgence with a hand running through his startling blonde hair, and he winked at Harry.

"You flatter yourself." Harry opposed.

"Maybe." Draco shrugged, and finally pulled back the blankets to squeeze himself down in them. Harry quickly followed suit. The lights dimmed as Draco sat up to turn a knob on the wall. Harry watched Draco as the lights became weaker and weaker until nothing but the moonlight shone across his white face.

"You're so pale, you know that?" Harry said, grabbing on to a pillow and put it under his head.

"I prefer to looked at myself as fair-skinned." Draco said, and Harry chuckled stuffing the other pillow in Draco's face, eliciting a grumble from him. 

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful Potter." Draco said as he pulled himself out of the pillows reach, and ducked away from Harry's second swing. Harry laughed and swung again, having rather bad aim from taking off his glasses.

"Where did you learn to aim Potter?" Draco asked, asking for trouble.

"I don't have my glasses on you git, my vision has been awry all day because of you and your meddling." Harry held the pillow up as a shield, but soon lowered it having realized Draco wasn't planning an attack on him." 

"Meddling is what I do best, Potter." Draco said, matter-of-factly and quite proudly.

"I should've known." Harry murmured, and lay down and closed his eyes. Draco frowned. He mourned the loss of the sparkling green eyes, but after thinking it, regretted it, and turned to face the opposite direction.

There was a pause as the silence of night crept in, much like an early morning sunrise. Harry's breathing was steady near him, and Draco tried to close his eyes. He was uncommonly restless and didn't like the itch he had to roll to his other side again. 

"Are you tired?" Draco whispered, and shivered for it had suddenly gotten notably chilly.

"A bit." Harry replied curtly and silently. "You?" 

"Not at all." Draco complained, curling himself together more. He frowned.

"What did you do today?" Harry asked, and taking this as an invitation, Draco turned to face him. Harry's eyes were back open, and Draco couldn't help but notice how bright they were without the cover of his glasses.

"Sat around with your oaf of a cousin all day…" Draco said icily. "He couldn't stop talking about you either, and how wrenched he thought you were." 

"Typical Dudley." Harry said with a smirk, propping his head up with his left hand. "I hope he isn't jealous, like you said." He said wistfully. "It's not like he has anything to be jealous of." Draco chuckled nervously, knowing that surely there was.

"Yeah, Potter. You're not spectacular." Draco teased and Harry moved to hit him on the arm lightly. 

"Take that back." Harry demanded, smile firmly on his face.

"Or you'll beat me up?" asked Draco, mockingly.

"Yeah. I'll slam you so hard you won't be able to walk." Harry said, and Draco's face turned a brilliant shade of red, that he could only hope Harry didn't see. He nearly laughed but held it in and decided to ignore what Harry had just said.

"Fine, fine. You really are spectacular. I worship the ground you walk on, for I am an inferior human being, unlike you, Potter, who is a god. How is that?"

Harry nearly doubled over with repressed laughter. "I should've recorded that for blackmail."

"Yet you didn't. You aren't nearly as cunning as I originally hoped you would be." Draco smirked, trying his best to sound disappointed.

Harry sighed, letting out the air remaining from his outburst. "It's not like you to misjudge someone so easily, Malfoy." Draco chuckled with a shrug.

"You misjudged me," said Draco, having a good point. Harry's cheerful, playful face fell and he frowned a bit.

"Sorry." Draco said, ducking his face to look the other way. He rolled on his back, staring at his ceiling covered in posters, pictures and stripes of green and silver. He thought it suited the room the moment he put it up. There was a pause and Draco knew it was time to go to sleep and stop worrying about Harry. He grabbed a piece of green bedspread and curled it up against him and closed his eyes.

"Malfoy." Came a questioning voice, and Draco's eyes flew open again.

"Yes?" He asked, while trying to sound annoyed instead of curious.

"Do you…ever…" Harry stuttered. "Well I mean…" Harry's hands were busy fiddling with one of the silky sheets. 

"Spit it out already." Draco demanded. "I want to go to sleep." He whined.

"Well nevermind then. Just go to sleep," said Harry, sounding a bit put-off. 

"No, tell me," commanded Draco. "Please Harry? It's late, I'm just a bit grumpy that's all." Draco was now laying on his stomach, a little too close to Harry for his comfort, and staring at him with the cold blue-gray eyes Harry always stared at.

"Do you ever think about girls?" Harry asked silently, wanting to close his eyes again, as not to have to look into Draco's probing face.

"_What_!?" Draco nearly screeched with his eyebrows raised in total surprised.

"You heard me." Harry glared at the boy lying next to him.

"Girls?" Draco seemed stunned. "Girls?" he asked again.

"Yes, girls. The female species, the opposite sex, you know the ones with-"

"Please Potter, do not force me to indulge in what you have to say about girls. And yes, of course I think about girls you twit." Draco seemed irritable. "I'm a seventeen-year-old boy for god's sake."

"Oh." Harry said, sounding edgy again.

 "What about them?" Draco asked, falling back into their conversation.

"I dunno," said Harry shyly.

"Like I believe that!" Draco whined skeptically. "What happened?" asked Draco.

"I met one today." Harry said, only after the fact realizing how ridiculous it sounded.

"What an accomplishment." Draco rolled his eyes sardonically. 

"She was…amazing." Harry breathed, eyes darkening and half-lidded. "…And beautiful, and funny, and everything else." Draco's stomach clenched, and he felt somewhat sick.

"Oh, really?" Draco asked in a small voice, trying to sound as interested as he could, being as ill as he felt.

"Yeah. But the problem is I think she's in love with someone else." Harry's head rose to look Draco in the eyes, searching for advice.

"Then too bad for you." Draco said harshly in the roughest voice Harry had heard come from the boy. He gaped at Draco's rude behavior. "If she's in love with someone else there's nothing you can do about it." Draco quickly recovered. "Love is…love is forever, Potter. You can't make someone love you; you can't fall in and out of love at will. It's impossible. Love runs deep in your veins," he said, poking at Harry's chest. "And there isn't anything you can do to stop it." 

Harry nodded sullenly, wishing Draco didn't have to be so cold to him when letting him down.

"Look, take my advice. Forget about her. Find someone else, someone who is just as funny and smart and attractive. There are a lot of amazing people in the world if you would just look."

Looking at his striking body silhouetted by the moonlight Harry said, "You're amazing." He pointed out.

"I already knew that, Potter." Draco said, turned again to his back. "Besides, that's different." He squirmed, trying to get comfortable again.

"What's different?" Harry asked, not understanding what Draco meant.

"Oh, Harry you're such a pinhead." Draco closed his eyes again, planning on going to sleep.

"No, what's different?" Harry asked, shaking Malfoy roughly.

Draco's eyes flew open, cold and hard.

"Do you ever think about boys, Potter?" He asked overtly.

"What? What do you mean?"  Harry looked shocked.

"I mean exactly what I say." Draco looked expectant.

"Well, no, not- not really." Harry suddenly grew flustered and kept looking away from Draco's eyes.

"My point exactly. _That's_ how it's different." Once more, Draco turned from Harry's scrutinizing gaze.

"-But." Harry tried to protest, lifting a hand up with a gesture.

"Just, go to sleep." Draco pleaded, already feeling strangely vulnerable. He hoped that the subject would soon drop so he didn't say any more.

"Fine." Harry said in a huff, unkindly yanking the covers up as hard as he could, and curled up under them.

"You really _aren't_ that amazing." Harry sneered.

"_Now_ he comes to his senses," said Draco, remaining unfazed by the comment.

"God, what is wrong with you?" Harry sat up again, very irritated.

"What do you mean what is wrong with me?" Draco snapped back.

"You-…you-…you…" Harry tried to speak. 

"I-I-I, what Potter? Just because you can't rile me up with a few meaningless comments? You're the one that needs some fixing." Draco scorned.

"Me? You're the one that isn't telling me anything, confusing me with you're rubbish mind-games." Harry locked gazes with Malfoy, determined not to budge.

There was a pause as Harry waited, anticipating what Draco was going to bark out next.

"That's what I like about you…" Draco murmured.

"What?" Harry's face turned from anger to bewilderment.

"You're never one to back down, to let me win. You have such a spirit." Draco looked tired. "It's so…attractive." He spit out, not meaning to. Both pairs of eyes in the room flew wide open, stunned.

"I mean-that didn't come out like I intended too! Harry…" Draco wailed.

"You…you just called me attractive." Harry said accusingly, pointing at Draco. He still looked appalled. 

"I didn't mean to-" Draco started to say, but Harry wasn't finished.

"Dudley was right." Harry reveled. "_You_ were right. He _is_ jealous. He's jealous because you _like_ me!" He squealed out, nearly standing up on the bed now.

"That's a ridiculous notion. I was only saying how it suited you, that's all. What's there to like anyways?" Draco was hurt, confused and angry with himself, all at the same time.

"What do you mean, what's there to like? There's plenty to like, I'll have you know."

"You'll have me know? Now you're the one hitting on me!" Draco accused.

"I'm not hitting on you!" Harry protested.

"Earlier you said I was amazing." Draco smirked, knowing he had Harry there. Harry flushed a deep red, knowing there was no way to deny it. "At least I was polite about it and didn't look into the comment like you, ya moron." Draco said with a harsh glare at Harry, grabbing a fistful of blanket. "Friends are allowed to say what they think about each other right?" Draco never let his eyes waver or leave Harry.

"I…suppose you're right." He admitted, defeated.

"Good. Now that we have that mess settled, I would like to get more than five hours of sleep tonight, thank you very much." The barrier of pride was back, and Harry knew there was no way he would be able to get Draco to open up and talk to him again this evening.

"Okay." He agreed, a bit downcast and unsettled.

Malfoy was asleep in a matter of minutes, abandoning Harry to his own thoughts. He wondered suddenly, if Malfoy ever thought about boys, but never got the chance to ask him.


End file.
